The announcement heard around the creative world came yesterday in the form of a Canva Keynote speech. If you missed it – don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.
Earlier this month, Affinity pulled their Version 2 software from their website and replaced the site landing page with an announcement that “Creative Freedom is Coming”… October 30th. I chose not to speculate anything that may or may not be coming as I don’t see any benefit to building up scenarios in our minds that are based on nothing and likely wrong. I did, however, watch as people across the creative design industry lost their minds with speculation.
Yesterday was an exciting day, to be honest. Canva, who acquired Affinity last year, announced a slew of new A.I. tools and features for paid Canva accounts. But the bigger announcement for us and our fellow makers is the launch of the all-new Affinity – completely FREE.
Yes, you are reading that correctly. The new and improved Affinity is free… for everyone… for life. That was the exact words from the founder of Affinity.
Naturally, there are plenty of complaints based on speculation from some people – we are ignoring them and their nonsense. Let’s focus on what this means for us in the maker-space and what it means for Sub That moving forward.
UNDERSTANDING THE VERSIONS
Affinity started with Affinity Designer before adding Photo and Publisher between 2015 and 2022. In 2022, we saw the launch of Affinity Version 2 of each program. This came with some new features, a smoother flowing system and the ability to pass files between the programs to really maximum your creative potential. Around here, you know that we rely on Affinity Designer the most as it has the most relevant and robust tools for digital design creation for the print industry.
Like Version 1, Version 2 will continue to receive bug updates but it will not receive any new functions or features. Your license is for life and Affinity/Canva has expressed that they will continue to keep these programs operational for the future. Most of us have paid for one or both of these versions so that is a win for the investment made. I know that some people might feel frustrated by the newest version being free – I get that. Let’s remember that it wasn’t that long ago that you had to buy a new software every few years AND the old versions wouldn’t work with new operating systems within a few years. A lot has changed in the world of software. Our investments into this company paved the way for it to create this kind of program and offer it for free. This is a true return on our investment as the Affinity creative suite can continue to grow and evolve with us for years to come.
The new version is simply called AFFINITY. It features Designer, Photo and Publisher personas in one program. You can continue to use V1 or V2 programs, or make the jump to the new Affinity suite – for free.
WHAT TO KNOW
I know that you all have many questions, here is a rundown of the answers that you want most:
- The new Affinity is not a simplified or less-than version of the previous models. It’s just better and it is the future of the software.
- Yes, it really is free.
- No, you don’t lose any of your old brushes, presets, assets, ect. Import them by going to FILE – IMPORT CONTENT – FROM V2. Pretty simple.
- No, it does not replace your old program on your computer. They are two separate programs.
- No, it is not available for iPad yet but will be in the new year.
- Yes, it does look different inside but it’s mostly just aesthetic differences not actual program differences.
- Yes, once you get used to the new look of the interface, you’ll find getting back into the workflow easier.
- No, you don’t have to worry about them selling your data or stealing your art. They are committed to being against this and have spoken openly about that.
- You’ll use a Canva account to sign into Affinity and validate your license. This is similar to how you might use Google to log into Facebook or other sites. You do not need a paid Canva account to use the new Affinity suite.
Here is an information page from Canva on the new Affinity Suite.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR SUB THAT
As you may or may not know, this year was a year of overhaul for Sub That. There have been so many changes with social media and technology in general. We want to be here to serve you for years to come and that meant taking a step back and rebuilding some things from the ground up. We have been busy paving the way to get back to the high impact approach that we love and that time is finally here.
First and foremost – an updated version of the Sub That Learning Library app will be available next week, finally! This should resolve any lingering streaming issues people have had with some content. Much like Affinity has moved into one place, so is Sub That. It’s been on my want-to-do-list to close the Facebook group, and that time has come. We are gradually working on removing members and closing it down. It’s a slow process – but don’t be alarmed. Come join us in the Sub That Learning Library app if you haven’t already. We are excited to build a new community space free from the distractions and drama of social media.
The biggest thing you will notice is that content will be simplified in the new version of the Sub That Learning Library App. We put out a lot of content and even with a search function, it’s hard for you to find everything you are looking for. Our 7-Day series will be under one content block and all of our new Affinity content will be as well. This includes a new masterclass, new eBook guides, and all new tutorials.
For the old Affinity tutorials – those that were already on YouTube will remain on YouTube but will be replaced with updated versions in the app. The old V1 affinity course will remain in the app and be accessible to those who paid for those courses but for other users, you will see the new courses in it’s place. With the new version of Affinity being FREE and the version planned to be updated and expanded for the foreseeable future, we are diving in with all new content created there. I feel that there is no real reason why anyone in our industry who uses Affinity, isn’t making the switch (again.. it’s free).
We are ditching the Canva guide.
One thing I have learned over the years is that teaching multiple software programs is exhausting and challenging. The maker space benefits most from robust, feature-rich software. Pricing has often been a barrier which has led to people choosing lesser programs to get by. With the new Affinity being FREE, we are committed to focusing only on that software and helping you get the most out of it for any type of crafting.
We are also ditching the Midjourney guide.
A.I. artwork creation has largely run its course. It’s oversaturated and we’ve seen a variety of ethical ramifications to consider in addition to the harm of A.I. on the planet. I love creating original artwork and I love teaching it – so I want to get back to just that with new challenges and design ideas for sublimation, laser and more.
We are bringing you an inspirational, creative podcast.
With everything happening in the world today, a lot of people aren’t feeling the joy. I believe that joy is where you make it – so let’s make and grow together. I’m excited to launch our weekly podcast going into the next year and beyond.
These are the main updates you’ll see but rest assured we have lots more in store and are feeling more inspired than ever to create beautiful things and grow intentional businesses, with you.
Happy Halloween – and happy holidays!